Discover Storjord

Storjord brings together nature, art and culture: the Nordland National Park Centre and the Adde Zetterquist Gallery are both located in Storjord, in the municipality of Saltdal. There is also a nature trail, hiking paths and a cycling route, each offering a different way to explore the area. Here you’ll find both ideas for places to visit and practical information about routes and how to get there as you plan your trip.

Art, culture and the national park centre

The Nordland National Park Centre shares information about national parks and other protected areas, as well as nature, art, and Norwegian and Sámi culture in Nordland. Its exhibition lets you explore the five national parks of Rago, Láhko, Junkerdal, Sjunkhatten and Saltfjellet–Svartisen. The grounds also include a reconstructed Sámi settlement with two traditional huts that visitors can enter.

The centre’s activity yard features hands-on learning stations relating to its areas of focus, with a fire pit at its heart. The grounds also include a disc golf course and a climbing facility or climbing jungle. A workshop for 12 to 15 visitors offers art and nature activities for children and adults. Alongside the exhibition, there are therefore several practical ways to engage with the centre’s themes.

The Adde Zetterquist Gallery opened in June 2013 as an exhibition venue for the visual art of Per Adde (1926–2020) and Kajsa Zetterquist (born 1936). It presents the two artists’ commitment to nature conservation, Sámi rights and art policy. In addition to their art, the gallery has a guest gallery with a changing programme of four to six exhibitions a year. Guided tours are available at both the gallery and the Besøkssenter nasjonalpark Nordland; arranging a tour may require contacting the centre in advance.

Nature trail, history and routes

The nature trail winds through the Storjord Arboretum, where you can learn about around 30 tree species from Norway and abroad. The route combines tree diversity with traces of history: it passes a kettle hole from the last ice age and an old animal trapping system that bears witness to hunting methods of the past. At the old tar kiln, visitors can learn how tar was extracted from pine trunks; at Klengstua, cones were dried and processed for seed production.

The nature trail continues to Skogvoktergården. It was the first residence built by the Norwegian state forestry administration for its employees in Norway. The path from Saltdal Turistsenter is easy to walk and suitable for pushchairs, though it has a few uphill sections along the way. If you’re travelling with a pushchair, take these climbs into account when planning your visit.

Several hiking trails in Storjord cross the Junkerdalselva and Lønselva rivers via airy suspension bridges. The hike to Solvågtind starts either at the Nordland National Park Centre or at the car park north of the Junkerdalselva. As a separate option for cyclists, a cycling route starts in Storjord and runs through Saltdalen and along the Saltdalselva, also known as “Dronninga i nord”.

Storjordfjellkoia is an open shelter in the Junkerdalsura Nature Reserve near Storjord. From the centres in Storjord, the route crosses a suspension bridge over the Junkerdalselva and then follows a signposted cart track to the shelter. Built in the early 19th century, it was once used as a forest hut.

Culture in the wider Saltdal destination

The wider Saltdal destination also has historic cultural sites. Saltdal bygdetun recreates a 19th-century setting with log houses, Nordland boats, a school and historic furnishings. Skippergården, one of the museum’s buildings, was the Ellingsen merchant family’s main residence from 1751 to 1899.

Planning your trip

The bus stop for the Adde Zetterquist Gallery is called Saltdal turistsenter. The nearest railway station to the gallery is Lønsdal, 11.5 km away. Stop names and transport connections may change, so check them again before travelling. This lets you plan your visits in Storjord and your journey there together, without assuming a specific travel time between transport points.

Discover more destinations: Rokland, Rognan.

Back to the destination overview: Saltdal.